About the position
Position open to all races!
Purpose of the Role
The Accountant will be responsible for executing the day-to-day accounting functions, ensuring transactional accuracy, and preparing foundational financial data across manufacturing, franchising, and corporate retail operations. Reporting into the finance leadership team, this hands-on role focuses on maintaining accurate books, processing payroll, executing reconciliations, and preparing timely draft management accounts.
Key Responsibilities
Financial Accounting & Reporting
- Maintain the full accounting function, including the general ledger, accounts payable, accounts receivable, and bank reconciliations.
- Prepare accurate draft monthly management accounts, financial statements, and preliminary variance analyses.
- Perform daily cash flow tracking, bank monitoring, and working capital reconciliations.
- Compile and accurately submit all statutory returns (VAT, PAYE, UIF, SDL, and income tax) to SARS via e-filing on time.
- Assist in preparing templates, schedules, and documentation for the annual external audit.
- Maintain accurate fixed asset registers and track capital expenditure (CAPEX).
Manufacturing & Cost Accounting Support
- Provide financial administration support for the Bill of Materials (BOM) process for all mattress and bedding products.
- Update and maintain product costing models capturing raw materials, labour, overheads, and wastage.
- Extract and compile production cost data to help identify material and yield variances.
- Support inventory control processes, including processing raw material procurement finance, assisting with cycle counts, and participating in annual stocktakes.
Franchise Network Accounting
- Execute transactional processing for the franchise network, including invoicing franchise fees and marketing levies.
- Reconcile franchisee account balances, track credit exposure, and monitor payment compliance.
- Prepare individual franchisee financial reports and statement reconciliations.
- Set up financial accounts, fee structures, and transactional templates for newly onboarded franchisees.
Corporate Store Accounting
- Draft individual store profit and loss (P&L) statements against budget allocations.
- Review and reconcile daily and weekly store cash-ups, till variances, card payments, and bank deposits.
- Track store-level transactional data, including revenue, gross margin, shrinkage, and cost of sales.
- Assist store managers with routine queries regarding their financial summaries and reporting tools.
Payroll & HR Administration
- Process the full monthly payroll for manufacturing, retail, and head office employees using Payspace, VIP, or similar software.
- Ensure accurate calculations of earnings, deductions, commissions, overtime, and statutory contributions.
- Complete and submit monthly EMP201 and annual/bi-annual EMP501 reconciliations to SARS.
- Maintain highly confidential payroll and personnel records in compliance with relevant bargaining council agreements.
- Assist with routine HR administration, including leave tracking, personnel file maintenance, and employment contract filing.
Qualifications and Experience
- B.Com Accounting, Finance, or a highly related degree (essential).
- Professional registration with SAIPA, SAICA, CIMA, or currently working towards a designation (advantageous).
- Minimum 3-5 years' experience in a general Accountant or Senior Bookkeeper role.
- IDEAL: working experience in retail industry
- Practical exposure to a manufacturing environment with basic knowledge of BOMs and production cost allocations (highly advantageous).
- Experience handling accounting tasks for a multi-site retail or franchise business.
- Proven hands-on experience running payroll systems (e.g., Payspace, VIP).
- Strong working knowledge of South African tax legislation and hands-on experience with SARS e-filing.
- Proficiency in ERP/accounting software such as Syspro.
- Strong Microsoft Excel skills (including pivot tables and data formatting).
Desired Skills:
- Financial Reporting
- Management Accounts
- Budgets
- Audit
Desired Qualification Level:
About The Employer:
A fast-growing South African business operating across three integrated business channels: manufacturing, a franchise network of independently owned stores, and company-owned corporate retail stores.
The business is in an active growth phase - expanding its footprint through new corporate store openings. This growth trajectory demands a Finance Manager who is agile, commercially astute, and able to scale financial processes alongside the business.
